Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
  • G06F21/10—Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
  • G06F21/10—Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material ; Digital rights management [DRM]
  • G06F21/16—Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking

Definitions

• DRM Traditional Digital Rights Management
• a digital asset including, but not limited to, audio/video/book content over an IP network to a device in such a way that the Distributor can control how that content is used.
• the device owner typically accepts the contract by acknowledging the Distributor's Terms of Service (TOS) by "clicking" on the appropriate icon on the Distributor's portal.
• TOS Distributor's Terms of Service
• the audio/video/book content (the digital asset) is separated from the contractual terms of the TOS.
• the DRM that controls the digital asset includes an embedded technological restrictive component requiring compliance with the TOS.
• Compliance can mean restrictions on copying or include opening, printing or use on other platforms.
• an e-book encoded with DRM for a KindleTM Reader (Trademark of Amazon.com, Inc.) is restricted from being read on other e-readers. Publishers and the reading public alike are frustrated and concerned about the restrictions that arise in the digital asset environment that do not exist, or have been long resolved, in the paper-media form of literature.
• embodiments of a Packaged Digital Rights Messaging (PackaDRM) system embed a form of the licensor's TOS within the digital asset without any DRM-restrictive controls.
• the TOS are presented within the purchased or delivered digital asset in a unique and customizable message that is demonstrably available to the owner or user of the digital asset.
• the message reminds the user of the TOS, and that their personal identification is associated therewith. Compliance by the user may be likened to acceding to a request by another, being the distributor of the asset. The key is to influence that person into a behavior that they might not otherwise engage.
• compliance can be positively influenced when there is something offered, drawing a reciprocal positive response from the purchaser.
• the offer is the removal of rights management restrictions, rendering the asset more intuitive and freely used within the licence rights provided, in return for the purchaser's compliance with the more encompassing copyright compliance, such as to refrain from sharing.
• This self-regulation is achieved, using embodiments of the Digital Rights Management (DRM) tool, by inserting purchaser's information into a digital asset via a digital personalization for the asset and then displaying that information in a unique and customizable message, together with a reminder of their obligations and possible liability if they do not.
• the message is visible or audible to the purchaser.
• the purchaser is reminded that they have received a digital asset free of encumbrances, that it has been personalized for them and they alone, that there are obligations and prohibitions associated therewith, and appeals to the purchaser's sense of morality and self-regulation against copyright infringement.
• Embodiments of the system introduce a more robust form of social Digital Rights Management (DRM) using a digital personalization technique wherein the consumer's personal information is inserted into a scripted message which is then displayed as a unique and personalized message somewhere inside the digital asset. No longer is it assumed that the purchaser remembers or even read the TOS associated with the initial purchase. In a persuasive manner, and to their immediate benefit upon using their digital asset, the user is introduced or reminded of their obligations and consequences.
• DRM Digital Rights Management
• Embodiments combine social DRM and personalized and educational form of watermarking, the visible or audible markings serving to remind the purchaser, being a reader/watcher/listener, that the digital asset they have purchased is protected by copyright laws and should not be shared or reproduced.
• a method for adding digital personalization to a digital asset comprising receiving a customer request for a license to a digital asset and receiving customer identification (CID). The method continues with unpackaging of the asset or acquiring an unpackaged form of the asset.
• a first personalization notification (PDRN) message is prepared, each PDRN message including a copyright notification and at least one element of the CID and formatting the unpackaged asset to include each PDRN message for sensory display to the customer.
• PDRN personalization notification
• One completes the personalization by packaging the formatted unpacked asset with the digital personalization therein, for return to the customer.
• Figure 1A is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a packaged digital rights messaging system
• Figure 1 B is a continuation flowchart for the step of inserting a CID and PDRN message in a generic asset
• Figures 2 to 4 illustrate one example of implementation for an epub ebook, namely
• Fig. 2 illustrates an ebook having no watermarks or personalization
• Fig. 3A is a sample introductory personalization message in the form of a page
• Fig. 3B is a sample end personalization message
• Fig. 4 illustrates the ebook of Fig. 2 with personalization added and a tracking ECID embedded therein;
• Figures 5A and 5B are examples of one particular embodiment applied to an epub ebook, namely a sampling of an OPF filing a side-by-side illustration of a pre-, and post-PRDN page-form of message NCX file respectively. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
• a consumer typically locates a digital asset through a website or other form of portal implementing a form of shopping cart model including direct websites and other portals including those by AmazonTM (trademark Amazon.com, Inc.) and the application iTunesTM (trademark Apple, Inc.).
• the consumer initiates the purchase an electronic asset, including, but not limited to, ebooks, videos and audio files through an online catalogue and, at some point, particularly prior to the financial transaction, is prompted to input or confirm their identification (CID), including such elements as their name, e-mail address or both. While the terminology "purchase” is used, the transaction is really one of licensing, not transfer of ownership. The ownership of the asset is not transferred. Should the customer refuse to provide suitable CID, then the transaction ends.
• CID identification
• the terms of service (TOS) for the selected asset are displayed to the consumer.
• TOS are displayed as a scroll through agreement with an agree button.
• the CID is temporarily stored on the server after the consumer reads and accepts the "Terms and Conditions" and selects the desired platform for delivery. The financial aspects of the transaction are completed. The consumer's CID or information is then permanently inserted into the digital asset in one or more places.
• the digital asset is prepared with personalized digital rights notification or PRDN message.
• the message can be persistent, or temporary, like a pop-up, and in predetermined or irregular locations.
• the PRDN message can conveniently and effectively inserted as an additional page or pages adjacent the beginning and at the end of the asset, packaged and delivered to the consumer.
• the message is provided as a purposeful presentation to the user via sensory display, for example such as visual in an ebook or video and audible in an audio file or video.
• the store application such as an online shopping cart and checkout interface, and DRM application can be operated together or as separate services.
• the DRM application receives the following identification information from the store application, name, a device ID (DID), an asset identification or asset ID and the purchaser's information CID.
• the device ID permits identification of the file format, for example, in the case of ebooks, whether the format is * .mobi, * .epub or other format.
• the asset ID is a unique identifier that identifies the specific asset for transfer or retrieval from the store application or from the collective or other copyrighted works manager.
• the transaction is associated with several possible levels of identification, related to the asset, the purchaser, the transaction identification with the store or some combination thereof.
• the asset ID can be unique for every transaction.
• the CID is passed for incorporation into the PRDN message such as by showing the customer's email.
• the consumer's information and a message regarding the copyright which also includes information regarding the obligations associated therewith and may also include the penalties for violations thereof, is presented in the appropriate sensory form to the consumer, and of course, with the implication to the user that their personal; information would also be presented to any other reader.
• the personalized message can be a page and displayed at about the start of the book or at about the end of the book, or both.
• a PDRN message in the context of an ebook is typically a "page" being persistent and appearing at a pre-determined location as an additional page and presented in the same manner during reading.
• other messages can include pop-up messages, being temporary, or an audio clip appearing at some point during the asset's use, even in an ebook depending on the type of digital asset and the display device's characteristics.
• the message can be any of a variety of possible presentation means such as video frame or audio clip relating the PDRN message.
• an initial personalized PDRN message can include a page displaying the purchaser's information, a welcome and invitation to enjoy the named asset, and a reminder of the TOS contract that the consumer entered into such as those under international copyright laws.
• An additional message can be an ending page, and can similarly include the purchaser's information, some form of closing salutation, and a further reminder of the TOS.
• a personalized screen shot is displayed at the start of the movie that includes the purchaser's information and advises the purchaser of the penalties for unauthorized sharing or reproduction.
• the asset is an audio file
• the PDRN message advising the purchaser that the audio material enclosed in the file is copyrighted and cannot be shared or reproduced, could be delivered through an oral message or even through visual means such as through accompanying album cover art and the like.
• the device ID, asset ID and CID are passed to the DRM application.
• the DRM application receives a customer request for a license to the digital asset.
• the DRM receives the customer identification (CID).
• the asset is retrieved from the authorized source. If it arrives packed, it is unpackaged to enable insertion of PRDN messages. Thus, once unpackaged or copied from an already unpackaged form of the asset, the unpackaged asset is copied to temporary storage.
• PRDN messages are prepared.
• the PRDN messages are visible or audible presentations, regardless of the presentation format, being referred to herein as PRDN messages.
• Figs. 2 through 5B in a example is used where the messages are in the form of pages but, as described above, can also be other forms of communication to the user including pop-ups and audio/visual clips.
• the unpackaged asset has an open packaging format (OPF) file including a metatag section, a manifest section including the body and pages of the asset, a spine section including a table of contents (TOC), and content documents.
• OPF open packaging format
• the DRM application prepares at least a first personalization notification (PDRN) message such as a PDRN page, each PDRN page including a notification of the TOS and a visual display of at least a portion of the CID, such as an email.
• PDRN personalization notification
• the unpackaged asset is formatted to include each PDRN page.
• the asset is formatted by adding to the metatag section, at least the CID; registering in the manifest section, a reference to each PDRN page; and adding to the spine section, a navigation point to each PDRN page.
• the pages of the asset are re-sequenced and the TOC re-indexed to include each PDRN page establishing a formatted unpackaged asset.
• the asset is packaged with the digital personalization therein. For temporary messages such as pop-ups, other elements are arranged in the digital asset and reformatted as necessary to incorporate and interleave same in the normal course of the asset's presentation to the user.
• the PRDN messages pages are a sensory reminder to the user, by reading or hearing.
• An optional tracking ID or ECID which is not visible in the normal course of the enjoyment of the asset, can be added to enable tracing if the asset is released for unauthorized distribution.
• the ECID can be the asset ID, portion thereof or other form of ECID, that can be associated with the actual asset ID in a lookup database including the CID.
• the ECID can be unique so that if the ECID for one book were identified and located for removal, then it is not a mere matter of locating the same ECID in another digital asset, or even another purchased copy of the same titled asset. This is an additional security feature to aid the asset distributor in locating the source of shared copies while encouraging the distributor to continue to offer traceable, yet DRM-free and copy-restriction free assets.
• Fig. 2 in an example of an ebook, with no visible DRM, is illustrated and suitable for the additional of PRDN messages in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein.
• a title page As shown, there is a title page, some sample pages from one chapter, and an end of book page.
• the page numbering shown thereon is auto-generated by the device, dependent upon the device, font and device orientation but is consistent once all are determined.
• sample PRDN messages are prepared.
• they are prepared as forms of pages for insertion.
• the book title and the consumer's CID is embedded or linked - in this case the CID is limited to the consumer's email.
• the introductory PRDN message of Fig. 3A is characterized for insertion in the front of the book, including consumer personalization and the reminder DRM notice, and optionally provided with introductory or welcome language, inviting the user to acknowledge the upcoming experience along with the TOS and copyright contract to which they had agreed in making the purchase.
• the ending PRDN of Fig. 3B similarly bears the CID and copyright contract reminder but can be optionally context modified to acknowledge a heightened risk of unauthorized distribution once the user has completed their use of the asset.
• the page-form of messages are inserted at the start and at the end of the asset.
• the starting or front PRDN page might precede the cover page for a substantially unavoidable display, or might follow the cover page.
• the table of contents may need revision, and digital pointers updated before repackaging for the consumer.
• an ECID can be inserted that will not be visible to the user.
• the ECID is illustrated fancifully in Fig. 4 as being located at some mid-point of the ebook - the actual insertion being a matter of a variety of possible means of encoding, the particular encoding being device, asset and algorithm dependent, such means being known in the prior art.
• the unpackaged asset is copied to a temp directory.
• the ebook has a typical known format, depending on the intended device or reader.
• a typical .epub format includes an OPF (Open Packaging Format) file and an NCX file, a separate file in an ebook's folder.
• OPF Open Packaging Format
• the OPF file contains a package element with child elements for metadata, manifest, spine, and guide.
• the OPF file is an (x)html or XML file that the device/app first parses, having the metadata element and three substantive sections: the Manifest section, listing of assets and their locations within the file; the Spine, a listing of all HTML files ordered in the order that they should be read into the book; and the NCX file referenced in the spine, an XML file that lists the table of contents in the book.
• the metadata element includes information describing the book; the manifest, a list of files in the package; the spine, a list of (x)html documents in reading order; and the guide, an optional list of structural components used by reader software, such as Table of Contents, Introduction, start location, Glossary, and other types of information.
• the spine section references the NCX file.
• the NCX file is referenced twice in the OPF file, once as an item in the manifest tag, which lists files that comprise the eBook and secondly as an attribute of the spine tag, which lists items in their reading order.
• Such an eBook would also have an HTML Table of Contents, which can be included in the book's HTML file or exist as a separate toe. htm I file.
• NCX file The bulk of the NCX file is the collection of navPoint tags used to create various in progress indicators. For example, in Amazon's KindleTM device the NCX aids in Previewer's NCX View and Progress Bar tick marks.
• Each NCX navPoint tag includes two child tags: navLabel and Content.
• the navLabel is title text; the Content tag, a link to the corresponding anchor tag in the book's HTML file or files.
• personalization of the ebook includes modification of the manifest section to include personalization information and register the one or more PRDN pages.
• the spine is modified to include entries for each added manifest registration.
• the NCX file is modified to add the path to the added PRDN files.
• a title is added that will appearing the table of contents or TOC listing.
• NCX and TOC are re-sequenced and the asset re-packaged for delivery to the customer.
• the PRDN pages are added as .html files. For each .html PRDN file added to the Manifest, one adds an entry to the Spine using manifest ids.
• entries might vary for differing formats. For example for regular rebook reader files, one might add a single PRDN message before or after the cover and one PRDN message at the end of the book and, in the TOC, list one path/title after the cover and a path/title at the end of the book. In another example, for a current iBooksTM format (Apple, Inc.) one might add one PRDN message at the end of the book with a corresponding path/title at the end of the book.
• Other formats lend themselves to other arrangements and forms of PRDN messages disclosed herein.
• an encoded identification ECID is inserted.
• Other hacking-resistant encoding methodologies are known to those of skill in the art, for hiding a form of the ECID within the body for better resisting removal.
• the ebook and PRDN pages are packaged for use by the consumer. Again, the packaging is different depending on file format including .mobi, .epub and others.
• the packaged ebook can be returned to the store application for upload to the consumer.
• a link can be provided for download.
• the file is typically deleted from the temp directory, the retention of same being dependent upon various privacy considerations and requests for retention by the consumer such as for backup or download protection purposes.
• the purchaser of a PDRN message formatted asset is reminded of their obligations under the TOS originally agreed to when purchasing their digital asset. Further, should the asset appear on a file sharing site, the consumer CID is displayed on the copies, and if the CID is removed, a copy can be unpacked, inspected and an ECID, if any, can be extracted. Where an asset has been infused with PRDN messaging, then the ECID can be looked up in the corresponding database at the DRM application server database for identifying the original consumer.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Software Systems (AREA)
• Technology Law (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
• Storage Device Security (AREA)
• User Interface Of Digital Computer (AREA)

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• 2013
  • 2013-04-29 EP EP13781064.4A patent/EP2842345A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-04-29 WO PCT/CA2013/050328 patent/WO2013159236A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2013-04-29 AU AU2013252416A patent/AU2013252416A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-04-29 CN CN201380022314.5A patent/CN104885478A/zh active Pending
  • 2013-04-29 JP JP2015507316A patent/JP2015515073A/ja active Pending
  • 2013-04-29 CA CA2814367A patent/CA2814367A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-04-29 US US13/873,002 patent/US20130291119A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-04-29 MX MX2014012791A patent/MX2014012791A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2013-04-29 BR BR112014026896A patent/BR112014026896A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation

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